The Business Pathways Academy (BPA) will have its first cohort of incoming freshmen Fall 2025.  BPA is a four-semester academic community for promising learners and their transition to college and persisting through the Gies Business Core curriculum and on to graduation.  Learners are admitted directly to BPA through a selection process, and the condition of the admission is commitment to the academy.  Learners in the academic have an early access to the following resources for all Gies learners:

Peer Mentoring:  Through monthly mentorship at study tables with academic skill development and community engagement, the team of Peer Mentors will support Gies students with degree progression and create a community where their peers feel known.

Peer Tutoring:  Tutors are available to help lead group discussions, walk through homework, prepare for office hours, and help with exams. Tutors help build connections and promote healthy learning through early review, questioning, and practice.

Starter Packs:  Starter Packs are gifted essential, non-textbook materials needed for starting common first and second year Business Core Coursework. The “store” will open the week before instruction and run through the first 2 weeks. Students will only be given materials for courses they are enrolled in for the semester. Items are first available to committed BPA students.   All Gies students will have access through the Starter Pack Request Form.

Lending Library:  The Lending Library serves as a Business Core library of reference materials on request to support instructional engagement and completion of common first and second-year Business Core coursework.  The Libary is housed in the Success Lab and includes both digital and paper text course materials, along with technology on lend.

Professional and Community Development Events: Connect with your college through the Academic Wellness Challenge. All mentees are encouraged to attend a Gies Community Engagement Meet-up once a semester with their mentor. Meet-ups includes college services, sessions, activities and events hosted by College offices: Undergraduate Programs, Career & Professional Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Margolis Information Lab. Earn tickets for each event you attend for a chance to win one of the Grand Prizes Gies Gear Baskets! Winners will be selected in December.

If the time comes when you do not perform your best academically, Success Planning is your recovery support. You can recover, and we are here to help! Improving your academic standing can be challenging. The requirements for the Gies Success Planning Program provides opportunities for academic recovery through reflection and decision making. For academic recovery and wellness, All Gies students who are not in Good Academic Standing will need to complete the Success Planning requirements. Starting Fall 2024, Success Planning includes Peer Mentoring. Learn more about the Peer Mentoring Program for Student Success.

All Peer Mentors for Student Success are current undergraduate Gies students ready to assist with their most recent academic and community engagement experiences. Through monthly mentorship at study tables with academic skill development and community engagement, the team of Peer Mentors will support Gies students with degree progression and create a community where their peers feel known.

Peer Tutors are available to help lead group discussions, walk through homework, prepare for office hours, and help with exams. Building connections and promoting healthy learning through early review, questioning, and practice. No appointment required.

The Academic Wellness Challenge is a chance to earn tickets for each College event you attend.  Events include college services, sessions, activities and events hosted by College offices: Undergraduate Programs, Career & Professional Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Margolis Information Lab. Tickets will be entered for a chance to win one of the Grand Prizes Gies Gear Baskets! Winners will be selected Reading Day.  Stay tuned for updates!

The Lending Library is provided through Gies Student Success Programs for all Gies Undergraduate students. It serves as a Business Core coursework library of reference materials on request to support instructional engagement and completion of common first and second-year Business Core coursework.

The Lending Library will open September 2024.  Stay tuned for updates!

Wellness Tables will be in the Success Lab and serve as a drop-in space for students to participate in decompression activities to support their overall wellbeing. Students will be provided with activities that help them connect with what they need to unwind and relax during challenging academic days and weeks. Wellness Tables are in partnership with the Illinois Counseling Center through Jennifer House, the Embedded Clinical Counselor for Gies students.